Railway car-end buffer



DBC. 2, J H. LINK RAILWAY CAR-END BUFFER Filed Nov. 23, 1944 mw@ mmf@ f@ www@ @d @l E nu fw nl llvrwn. V/ fw a fl @L 0 HX? f ,f j c@ E@ w y fi y@ .M n

Patented Dec. 2, 1.947

RAILWAY CAR-END BUFFER John H. Link, Mei-ion, Pa., assig'nor to W. H.

Miner, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Dela- Waffe Application November 23, 1944, Serial No. 564,754

'I'his invention relates to improvements in buffers for railway cars.

One object of the invention is to provide a buffer mechanism for railway cars having initial spring action to absorb the lighter shocks, followed by higher frictional resistance to take care of the heavier shocks, designed to make possi-ble the use of a spring of relatively great length for providing the initial light action.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a buffer mechanism comprising a friction casing adapted to be secured to the end of the car; a buffer head slidingly telescoped over the friction casing; friction shoes slidable within the casing; a central wedge block engaging the friction shoes; a spring yieldingly opposing movement of the shoe inwardly of the casing; and a preliminary spring yieldingly opposing inward movement of the buffer head, wherein the buier head, after a predetermined compression of the mechanism, engages the wedge to force the same inwardly of the casing to provide the high shock absorbing capacity, and wherein the preliminary spring extends through the wedge, thus permitting the use of a spring of greater length than is ordinarily employed in mechanisms of this character, thereby greatly adding to the eiiciency` of the device.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a longitudinal, horizontal sectional view of my improved buffer mechanism, illustrating the same applied to the'end of a car. Figures 2 and'3 are transverse, vertical sectional views, on an enlarged scale, corresponding substantially to the lines 2-2 and 3--3 of Figure 1. Figure 4 is a view, similar to Figure l, showing only the front end portion of the mechanism and illustrating another embodiment of the invention.

In said drawing, I indicates a portion of the end wall of a railway car, the portion illustrated being at one side of the longitudinal center line of the car and having my improved buffer mechanism mounted thereon. As will be understood, the buffer mechanism is duplicated at the other side of the end of the car and the two mechanisms cooperate ina well-known manner with a pair of similar buffer mechanisms on the end of an adjacent car.

Referring rst to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures l, 2, and 3, my improved buffer mechanism comprises broadly a friction casing A secured to the end of the car; a. buffer head B; three friction shoes C-C-C slidingly telescoped within the casing A; a cen- 5 Claims. (Cl. 213-221.)

2 tral wedge block D; a spring E; a second spring F; an'd a retainer bolt G.

The friction casing A is in the form of a tubular shell of hexagonal, transversey cross section, closed at its rear end by a transverse, vertical wall Il. The wall Il projects laterally outwardly beyond the sides of the casing A and provides anges I2-l2 for securing the casing to the end of the car. The casing is fixed to the car by any suitable securing elements, such as bolts I3|3, extending through the anges IZ-IZ and the end wall lll of the car. The friction casing A has the side walls thereof inwardly thickened at the open front end. This thickened section of the casing, which is indicated by I4, provides the friction shell proper of the same and presents three rearwardly and inwardly converging friction surfaces I5-I5-I5 of V-shaped, transverse cross section. Each V-shaped friction surface is formed by two adjacent inner wall portions of the hexagonal casing.

The friction shoes C, which are three in number, are telescoped within the front end of the casing and each shoe is in the form of a block having an outer friction surface I6 of V-shaped, transverse cross section, cooperating with the corresponding V-shaped friction surface l5 of the casing. On the inner side, at the front end thereof, each shoe C is provided with a wedge face I'I of V-shaped, transverse cross section.

The wedge block D is of hollow formation, that is, it has a central opening I8 extending lengthwise therethrough. At the inner end thereof, the wedge block D is provided with three V-shaped wedge faces I9-l 9-I 9, which are arranged symmetrically about the axis of the mechanism and respectively engage with the three V-shaped Wedge faces I'l--I'l-I'l of the friction shoes C-C-C. Adjacent the rear end thereof, the wedge block D is further provided with three radial lugs 202U2U, which are located between adjacent wedge faces thereof and extend between adjacent of the friction shoes C. The lugs 20--20-20 engage in back of inturned lugs or flanges 2l--2l-2l at the open front end of the casing A to limit outward movement of the wedge with respect to the casing and hold the parts assembled.

The buffer head B comprises a tubular shell 22 of hexagonal, transverse cross section having a transverse front wall 23 which closes the front end thereof, the wall 23 extending laterally beyond the shell 22, thereby providing the head proper of the buffer head B. The shell 22 is telescoped over the front end portion of the casing A and has sliding engagement therewith, fitting the same so that relative rotation of the casing A and the head B is prevented by the hexagonal formation thereof.

The spring E, which is in the form of a heavy, helical coil, is disposed within the casing A and has its front and rear ends bearing respectively on the inner ends of the shoes C -CTC and the transverse rear end wall Il of the cas-ing. This spring is preferably under a predetermined initial compression.

The spring F, which forms the preliminary spring member of the mechanism, is also in the form of a helical coil and isv disposed within the spring E and extends through the opening ofthe wedge D, having its front and rear ends bearing respectively on the inner side of the end wall 2,3, of the shell 22 of the buffer head B and the rear Wall I I of the casing A. This spring is also pref-1 erably under a predetermined initial compression in the assembled condition of the mechanism. As will be evident upon reference to Figure 1, suflicient clearance is provided between the sides o f the spring F and the inner sides of the shoes C-C--C to prevent the spring from interfering with the lengthwise movement of the shoes.

The mechanism is held assembled by the retainer bolt G which is anchored to the buffer head B and the casing A. The retainer bolt has a head 24 at its front end seated in a suitable opening or seat in the buffer head and extends through the inner spring F, and is provided with a nut 25 at its rear end in shouldered engagement with the rear wall Il of the casing A. To prevent aecidental removal of the nut, a key 2Q is employed, extending through the shank of the bolt.

In assembling the mechanism, the spring E .and the friction shoes C-C-C are rst placed within the casing A. The shoes are then forced inwardly of the casing, by a suitable tool, to a position where they will entirely clear the wedge when the latter is inserted Within the casing to engage the lugs 20-20-20 thereof in back of the retaining lugs or flanges 2l-2l-2I of the casing. While the mechanism is thus held compressed, the wedge is applied by entering the lugs of the Same in the spaces between the lugs 2I-2I-2l of the easing. The wedge is pushed inwardly to bring the lugs 20--20--20 thereof rearwardly of the lugs 2 I-2 I--2I and is then turned to'engage the lugs thereof in back of the lugs of the casing, thereby locking the wedge against outward movement with respect to the casing. The pressure is then re,- leased from the shoes to permit the spring E to expand and move the parts to the full release position of the mechanism shown in Figure -1. vWith .the wedge thus locked to the casing A, the spring F is inserted through the `opening .of the wedge and the bulng head B telescoped vover the casing A. The bolt G is then applied and lsecured by the nut `2.5. As will be evident upon reference to Figure l, in the normal full release position ,of the assembled mechanism, the front wall :23 o f the shell 22 of the buffer head is spaced a predetermined distance from the front end of Ythe wedge vD .sothat the spring F only will be compressed ,during inward movement of the buffer head to absorb the lighter shocks. The spring F thus provides for preliminary soft action '.unti-l the wall 2 3 of :the buffer head engages the lfront end .of the wedge to force the latter inwardly of thecasing A.

The operation of my improved 4buffer ,mechanism is `as follows: Upon inward movement of ,the Lbuffer head B through .pressure exerted thereon byanyobjectsuch as a buffer head of an adjacent l5 car, the head B is forced inwardly of the friction casing A, thereby compressing the spring F as hereinbefore pointed out. Upon further compression of the mechanism, the wedge D is engaged by the buffer head B, thereby forcing the same inwardly of the casing A against the resistance of the heavy spring E, setting up a wedging action between the wedge and the shoes Cf-C-C, forcing the latter to slide along the friction surfaces of the casing and spreading the same apart into tight frictional engagement with said friction surfaces. Inward movement of the buffer head B is finally arrested by engagement of the wall 23 of the shell 22 thereof with the front end of the friction casing A. When the actuating force or pressure is removed from the buffer head B, the springs E and F return al1 of the parts to the normal full release position shown in Figure 1, the spring F forcing the buffer head outwardly until limited by the retainer bolt G and the spring E forcing the shoes vC--C-C outwardly of the friction casing A until the wedge D is arrested by engagement of the lugs 20--20-23 thereof with the lues 2|-2 |..-2l. Of the casing- Ii'shvuld be noted that the friction casing A, shoes CM-C-Q, wedge D, and the spring E together form a com: plete friction shock absorber unit, which may be used independently of the buffer head B and the spring F. This complete shock absorber may be employed as the shock absorbing means of a railway draft rigging, instead of forming part ofl a buffer mechanism, as hereinbefore described. In order to make use of the friction shock absorbing unit by itself, it is merely necessary to remove'the retainer bolt G, buffer head B, and the inner spring F and dismount the mechanism from the end of the car.

Referring next to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figure Li, the mechanism is the same as that disclosed in Figures l, 2 and ,3, with the exception that a shorter preliminary spring is employed and the mechanism is modified so as to have this spring react between the buffer head and the wedge member of the friction shock ab? sorber. In Figure 4 the parts which are similar to those shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3, are indi: cated by the some reference characters. The pref liminary spring is indicated by'H and this com; prises a light coil seated at its front end on the inner Side Vof the Well ,2,3 of the Shell .22 of the buffer head B, The spring H extends into a tubuf lar, pressure transmitting sleeve 21, which is seated in the opening of the hollow wedge block D. The sleeve `21 is closed at its rear end by a transverse. vertical .Wall 28 and has an .annular lianes 29 at its front end engaged in a seat 3D at the forward end of the Wedge block D` The rear ,end of the spring H bears on the end wall 28 of the pressure transmitting sleeve 21, thereby transmitting the pressure exerted by the buffer head to the izviedge D through the pressure transmitting sleeve The ope-ration rof the embodiment of the invention illustrated in lFigure 4 is identical with that hereinbefore described in connection with Figures 1, 2, and 3, with .the exception that the preliminary spring is .compressed against .the wedge D, instead `of 'being .compressed against the rear wall of the friction casing.

I .have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying .out my invention, but ythe same is merely illustrative and I .contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scope of Ythe claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a buffer for railway cars, the combination with a friction casing fixed to the end of the oar; of a buffer head slidingly telescoped over the friction casing; friction shoes slidable within the casing; a central wedge block in wedging engagement with the shoes, said block havin-g a central opening therethrough; a spring yieldingly opposing movement of the shoes inwardly of the casing; and a second spring extending through the opening of said Wedge and buttressed at opposite ends against the buffer head and casing yieldingly opposing inward movement of the buffer head with respect to the casing.

2. In a buffer for railway cars, the combination with a friction casing xed to the end of the car; of a buffer head slidingly telescoped over the friction casing; friction shoes slidable within the casing; a central wedge block in wedging engagement with the shoes and normally spaced from the buffer head to be engaged and actuated thereby after a predetermined compression of the mechanism, said block having a central opening therethrough; a spring yieldingly opposing movement of the shoes inwardly of the casing; and a second spring extending through the opening of said wedge and reacting between the buffer head and casing for yieldingly resisting relative movement of the buffer head and casing toward each other.

3. In a buffer for railway cars, the combination with a friction casing fixed to the end of the oar, said casing being closed at its rear end by a transverse wall; of a hollow buffer head slidingly telescoped over the friction casing, said head having its outer end closed by a transverse wall; friction shoes slidable within the casing; a central wedge block in wedging engagement with the shoes and normally spaced a predetermined distance from said buffer head to be engaged and actuated thereby after a predetermined compression of the mechanism, said block having a central opening therethrough; a spring yieldingly opposing movement of the shoes inwardly of the casing; and a second spring extending through the opening of the wedge block and bearing at its front and rear ends respectively on the transverse walls of said buffer head and casing for yieldingly resisting relative movement of the head and casing toward each other.

4. In a buffer for railway cars, the combination with a friction casing xed to the end of the car; of a buffer head, said head and casing being relatively movable toward and away from each other; friction shoes slidable within the casing; a central wedge block in wedging engagement with the shoes, said block being normally spaced from the buffer head to be engaged and actuated thereby after a predetermined compression of the mechanism having a central opening therethrough; a spring yieldingly opposing movement of the shoes inwardly of the casing; and a second spring extending through the opening of the Wedge block and bearing at its front and rear ends on the buffer head and casing respectively.

5. In a buffer for railway cars, the combination with a friction casing fixed to the end of the car; of a buffer head slidingly telescoped over the friction casing; friction shoes slidable within the casing; a central wedge block in Wedging engagement with the shoes, said block having a central opening therethrough; lugs on said block having shouldered engagement with the casing for limiting outward movement of the wedge with respect to the casing and holding the block normally spaced a predetermined distance from the buffer head to provide lost motion between said head and blo-ck to an extent less than the full compression stroke of the mechanism; a spring yieldingly opposing movement of the shoes inwardly of the casing; a second spring extending through the opening of said wedge and bearing at its front and rear ends respectively on said head and casing for yieldingly opposing inward movement of the buffer head with respect to the casing; and a retainer bolt extending through said second named spring and having shouldered engagement at opposite ends with the casing and buffer head respectively to limit lengthwise separation of said casing and head.

JOHN H. LINK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,852,567 Hazeltine Apr. 5, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 17,004 Great Britain July 21, 1909 

